A Chance
by rae of sunshinexx
Summary: Years have past since Bane and Talia threatened the lives of Gotham, but Bruce hasn't seen it's horizon since. What happens when the former billionaire must return to his home? And who will he have to put in danger to save what his family built?
1. Chapter 1: I Try To See You Differently

The crowd was bustling around them as she tried to keep up, her hand slipping from his grip. But she should have known better, he would never let her get away from him.

Bruce picked Ariana up and continued on his way, knowing that if the two of them didn't make it soon, then he would get an earful when they finally did turn up. It'd been years and, still, she worried whenever they weren't promptly on time.

"Daddy, stop," her small voice spoke up, Bruce looking down into her tear filled eyes and sighed. It seemed that, like her mother, Ariana knew when he was in a hurry and found ways of deterring him from what he was trying to do. "What's wrong?"

She didn't have to speak for him to figure it out. She hated loud noises, something neither of them could understand. Ever since she was a baby, she would scream and cry if something was too loud or there was a big crowd. So, with a sigh, he began to hum softly in her ear, much like he did when she was a baby to get her to sleep. She seemed to always like the soothing nature of his voice and it worked because he managed to get her through the crowd and to the restaurant without much more of a fuss.

"I thought we-"

Bruce silenced his wife with a gesture to Ariana, knowing that she'd understand as soon as Ariana felt comfortable enough to talk. Another thing they didn't understand about their daughter was how chatty she could be, telling everyone every aspect of her day no matter what. "She didn't like the crowd."

Without another word, Selina reached for her and sat her down in her lap. "I know I told you to give Daddy a hard time but I didn't mean for you to be late," she teased, coaxing a smile out of the small girl to try and make her feel better. It was too beautiful of a day for her to be frightened.

They were situated at a small restaurant on the Arno river, looking out into the water. Bruce had insisted they visit the place once a year and, for all that he had sacrificed, Selina couldn't deny him of this one thing. She never asked why nor did she want to, she just let him have his lunch at the cafe.

What she didn't know was that Bruce was always looking, constantly stealing a glance over her shoulder to see if he was there and each year, he was disappointed. He had thought that maybe this time, just this once he'd be there. But so far, to his dismay, it seemed to just be a repeat of all the previous years.

And then he saw him, just a glimpse and Bruce knew that he couldn't be mistaken. Alfred was being led to a table three over from them, his paper in hand as he took his seat. He'd aged since their last encounter but he was still the man who had all but raised him.

"Just like he said." He hadn't taken notice to the conversation that Selina and Ariana were having, not until Selina responded directly to him. "Who?"

But her question was answered as she turned to see Alfred sitting behind them, her look only brief as Ariana demanded her attention once more.

It was surreal to him to be looking at the father figure in his life like he had never been missing. Watching him for a moment, Bruce gave his former butler a nod, knowing that words needed not to be spoken for them to understand the other was happy. But there was a part of him that yearned to have the advice of his old friend once more.

It took becoming a father for him to realize just how much he relied on the words Alfred provided for him. When he thought of who to turn to, Alfred was the only name that popped to his mind.

So, unlike Alfred's dreams from his previous stint in Italy, Bruce stood and moved towards his table, knowing that Selina and Ariana would follow suit.

"Alfred. It's been a while."

"A while it has been, Master Wayne."

**So, this is just the beginning. If enough people like it, I can continue it :)**

**-Rae.**


	2. Chapter 2: Lights Gone, Days End

"It's a mess, I left when I couldn't take seeing the city your family built in shambles any longer."

They were all sitting around their kitchen table, Ariana occupied with her dolls in Bruce's lap as Alfred caught them up on everything going on. Gotham was lost since they'd left, Blake not being the 'Batman' that Bruce had expected.

"He's not trained properly, he doesn't have the skill that you do."

"Did."

Bruce tried to keep his gaze impassive as he listened to Alfred's tale. He was retired, more important things filled the whole that being Batman had started to fill. He didn't need to go back and he wasn't going to let Alfred Pennyworth convince him otherwise.

Gotham didn't need him, they had Blake.

"Maybe you could help him."

Her voice was almost unwelcome as he turned his attention to Selina, giving her an incredulous look. She knew how he felt about anything to do with Gotham and yet she was siding with his former butler.

"I'm not going to put you two in danger, we've already discussed this." At first, Alfred didn't seem shocked by the domesticated man who once prowled the night as the dark crusader, but he did strike up a kinship with Ariana. She loved his thick, cockney accent and he was reminded of a much younger Master Wayne.

Her dark hair and dark eyes were from both of her parents, but to Alfred, she looked just like her father. High cheek bones, a smile that seemed to light up her features, she was certainly his little girl.

"You don't have to be Batman to help."

There was a tense silence that fell over them as Bruce looked at his wife, knowing that she wasn't going to let him sit idly by while his city fell. It hadn't been his home for years but it was still the place he felt most at ease.

"You're not helping, regardless of what you think." He would go, but on the condition that Selina stayed out of it. He wasn't going to let his family be torn apart by the idea of him being Batman once more. He had already given Gotham almost every part of him, he wasn't going to give up his family.

Bruce stayed silent for some time, knowing that Selina and Alfred both knew that they had won. It wasn't fair, he shouldn't have to continually give his body to the citizens of Gotham but it was something that he chose and now, he'd have to save them once more.

"We'll go but we aren't staying in the penthouse, not when the Joker got in so easily last time. I want somewhere safe, somewhere where I can be sure Ariana is secure." Alfred just gave him a nod before Bruce stood without another word, taking Ariana upstairs with him.

Once Bruce was gone, Selina looked over to Alfred and sighed. "He's not happy about it."

"Missus Wayne, you may be married to him, but I've dealt with his moods much longer than you. I knew he wouldn't be in agreement with this plan and even if he did go along with it, he wouldn't be happy. But it's for the better. Gotham needs him."

And if something happened to that city, Selina knew that he wouldn't be able to live with himself. "He'll come around, Missus Wayne."

"I hope so."

-BM-

Bruce left the table and tried to keep himself calm for Ariana's sake. He knew that she picked up on his bad moods and he didn't want to be the reason for her being upset. So, he found himself sitting on his daughter's bedroom floor, a barbie in hand and making silly face to go along with the game they were playing.

If you'd asked him when he was younger, he would have said he'd never be the type of father to play dolls with his kids and yet here he was. He supposed it took hearing her first cries to change his mind. She had him wrapped around her little finger and she always would. She was part of the two of them and he could never have imagined before how much that would mean to him.

"Daddy?" For being four, Ari was much too perceptive for his taste. She picked up even the slightest shift in his mood, which he assumed was because of how similar they were.

Giving her a reassuring smile, he placed the barbie back in the pile with the others and opened his arms for her. He knew he had a lot to explain, some of which she wouldn't understand, but he didn't want the sudden change in their lives to affect her too greatly.

"We're going to be leaving home soon," he said softly, smoothing over one of the stray curls from her face. "And when we leave, things are going to change a little. We're going back to where Daddy's from but I'm going to make sure that you're safe and have fun there, alright?"

She gave him a nod, confusion furrowing her brow, but she didn't ask any questions. Another trait that neither understood. From two people who spent their lives questioning the motives of everyone, Ariana was one of the most trusting people he knew. She believed that everyone was meant to look out for her and didn't ask questions as to why they did things. She was everything that himself and Selina wished to be and, to him, she was perfect.

He placed his lips upon her temple, breathing in the scent that reminded him so much of Selina as he tried to push the fears he wouldn't let anyone see aside. He wasn't ready to give everything to Gotham, he'd made that much clear when he didn't die with the atom bomb. He had a life still to live but he couldn't survive without protecting the city that made him who he was.

**Review and tell me what you think. I want to make sure you all like it before I continue on this path :)**

**-Rae.**


	3. Chapter 3: Leave Me Out With the Waves

They had been up in the air for twenty minutes, Bruce opting to let Selina pilot. He wanted to have a chance alone with Alfred without the prying ears of his wife and daughter, so he let Ariana nap in the seat behind them.

The sudden change in his former butler was unwelcome. For years Alfred had tried to deter him from continuing on as Batman, and now that Bruce was finally free of the chains the dark knight had provided, Alfred wanted him back.

"Why the change of heart?"

He wasn't going to explain, he didn't even want to speak. He just wanted to know why. They had parted on less than amicable terms because of the suit he adorned and now Alfred was all but begging him to return to the darkness that had taken up a greater part of his life.

"Your father wouldn't want the city to be this way. It's not like how it was after Harvey Dent and the Joker. They need the Batman, and not just the symbol, they need you. Wayne Enterprises is going under because of the new power rising. I couldn't let everything that you've worked for fall because I sent you away."

Bruce couldn't help but laugh as he shook his head, looking to Alfred and trying to read the older man. "You didn't send me away, you woke me up from the hold that Batman had on me."

"It was a part of you, something that I don't particularly like, but something that you need. And now your family needs you."

"Wayne Enterprises is not my family."

"It belonged to them." Alfred apparently wasn't giving up, much like he hadn't when he tried to get Bruce to quit in the first place. What Bruce didn't understand was everyone's sudden interest in him becoming Batman once more.

"I don't understand it. You and Selina. All you wanted was for me to be safe away from Gotham and she agreed to this life with me. Now it's like the two of you have a sudden newfound allegiance to Gotham that overrides your worries about me."

It was becoming clearer to him just how important the Wayne name was to Alfred. His entire life, he never understood why he tried to maintain it's honor, but hearing of the destruction that seemed to take place of what his family built, it was clear that Alfred valued the Wayne name just as much as himself.

"I'm not asking you to go back in the suit, I would never want that. But they need your help. Gotham needs Bruce Wayne and Batman."

Bruce stopped when Alfred spoke, looking over to the older man with his brow furrowed. "And why does Gotham need Bruce Wayne? Batman, I know. They never could last without him. But why Bruce?"

"Wayne Enterprises is being turned into a power that is doing the opposite of your father's wishes. There is a new woman in there, someone who wants to take what Fox was doing with the energy project and turn it into something worse. She's somehow got the board behind her and no one can seem to see sense. Without Wayne Enterprises, nothing you left as your 'legacy' will survive. Including the Martha and Thomas Wayne Orphanage. They need you, those kids. You might not care about Wayne Enterprises, but those children need it to survive."

-BM-

It didn't take long to get settled back in Gotham, their trip was relatively quiet. Few reporters seemed to catch wind of the 'presumed dead' billionaire returning but Bruce knew that things wouldn't be as so the next morning. This was the calm before the storm, in his eyes, and they had a lot of preparing to do if they were going to be ready for it.

Ariana needed to hear from them of their pasts. The media would morph the truth into some story that neither of them would be proud of and they didn't want their daughter's beliefs in her parents to be warped by some self-serving gossip-monger with a microphone and camera.

Ariana was still young and Bruce knew that Selina was worried someone would recognize her from her incarceration during Bane's reign of terror. They had to find some way to make her unrecognizable, something drastic enough for people not to realize who she was.

"You don't have to watch her room like a hawk. No one knows where we are in the city."

The warmth of Selina's arms wrapped around his waist as he peaked through the crack of the door, making sure that Ariana was soundly asleep without anyone trying to harm her.

"For someone who lived countless years without a fear of death, you sure have grown soft."

"Yeah, and that's your fault. But what's your excuse?" he teased as he turned around to look at her, his arms winding around to mirror her position.

With everything that was going on, they hadn't had much time to spend together. Bruce was too worried to let Ariana out of his sight and when he did, he still wasn't very far from her.

"I never said I was soft," she mumbled, giving him a look although her turned up lip gave her away. He knew that the two of them were no longer the brave people Gotham needed, but they couldn't leave it to fend for itself.

Selina leaned forward to place a soft kiss upon his lips, but Bruce knew that she was trying to distract him. Ever since his conversation with Alfred, the idea that Selina wanted to come back had been eating away at him.

All she had wanted was to get away from Gotham and now, she wanted them both to go back to what they'd left behind.

"Why did you want to come back to Gotham so badly?" he asked after a beat, the thought nagging him since Alfred first proposed they leave. She had been set on never returning to Gotham and now, suddenly, she was all for him returning. Alfred may not want him as Batman again, but it seemed that Selina just cared about getting back to Gotham, regardless of what Bruce had to give up to get them there.

Her silence seemed to prolong time, both standing in the hallway until she sighed. "Maggie is back."

Bruce had only heard of Selina speak of her sister once before, after she'd found out she was pregnant. He remembered walking into the room and seeing her crying. She told him about how she'd left her sister behind and how she didn't think she had the understanding to be a mother. It was the one time she'd mentioned her family, so hearing about Maggie took him back for a moment. "She came back last year and I told her we weren't planning on returning. It took Alfred talking about how bad of shape everything was in for me to try and return."

"No, tell me the truth."

The look on her face made him realize that she knew he had caught her. "You didn't have to lie to me to get something you-"

"I'm not lying, if Gotham is in as bad a state as Alfred believes, enough for him to want you back, then I knew, either way, we'd be there."

"And this has nothing to do with anything else? Maggie's really here and is the only reason you wanted to go back?"

He was watching her, trying to see the wheels turning in her head. If Maggie was here, then she could have just told him. But something wasn't right about it all.

"Yes."

Throughout their time together, Bruce had found little ways to catch her in a lie. The tone of voice she used when she was being insincere ringing out now. Slowly stepping away from her, he shook his head before glancing once more back to Ariana's room.

"Make sure she's alright," he muttered, turning away from Selina and leaving her to stand alone in the hallway.

**Dearest 'Guest' reviewer, after you read this chapter, you'll understand both their motives. Secondly, leaving a discouraging and unhelpful anonymous reply really doesn't do much. Thank you. Your comment was deleted because there was no need to be rude. You could have stated your opinion on my story in a different manner.**

**Anyway, I hope this starts to explain why Alfred and Selina wanted Bruce back in Gotham. Next chapter, we get to meet the villain :)**

**-Rae.**


	4. Chapter 4: Find Any Truth In Your Lies

The jewels that glistened before her could easily be purchased. The credit card in her pocket assured her of that. Before, they lived a content life. They had most of her money plus some from a fund that Bruce had hidden for emergencies. Their house had been modest, for Bruce's tastes at least, and they had managed to survive without many worries.

Now, however, Bruce Wayne was proven alive. That meant the name provided Selina with whatever she could possibly want, even if her name wasn't her own in public. It'd been her decision to hide her identity in the end. It was a testimony as to how much she had changed since meeting Bruce that she was so eager to put someone else's safety before her own, but protecting her daughter was her highest priority.

Ariana didn't deserve to have her name tarnished because of her mother's past crimes. She wore the fitted wig they'd found and she picked clothing that she never would wear herself. She created her new identity to protect, not only herself, but her family.

So, 'Alison' was walking down the streets, holding Ariana's hand and looking at all the things that were now at their disposal. Before leaving Gotham, Bruce had enough money that he didn't need the so called 'charity' of the expensive jewelers giving the rich discounts. Most of the wealthy didn't even have to but their own jewelry. It seemed as if you were given things for free, especially with a name like Wayne. But now, they weren't so well off.

"Mommy, look!" Ariana's little hand was pointing to the sparkling emerald before them, the green catching Selina's gaze instantly. She bent down to pick her up so she could see better, smiling to her as she explained which each one was.

"But the emerald is clearly the best. You have wonderful taste for being so young."

The voice came from behind them, Selina's initial instinct to run kicking in. She had no idea who this mysterious person was, but the tone of her voice sent a chill running down her spine.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Where are my manners? The name is Pamela. Pamela Isley. But you've probably heard all about me, seeing as I'm the new figure your husband seems to have come back to knock down."

This caught her attention. Selina turned to look at the woman behind her, red hair glistening in the sun as she wore an emerald green pencil skirt with her black dress shirt and heels. She looked the part of a Wayne Enterprises secretary. A 'threat' didn't exactly fit into her look.

"I'm sorry, but I haven't heard a thing of you." A blatant lie, but it wasn't like Pamela knew. How could she? To the public, she was Alison Dare, daughter of a billionaire in New York City. Bruce fled there after Bane's reign and the two married after. No one second guessed the story and the people of Gotham almost celebrated the return of their prince.

Ever since his 'death', he'd managed to win their hearts over with his generous donations and means of fixing the city. Still, no one put two and two together. Not a single citizen of Gotham realized he had been the dark knight protecting them for all those years.

But it seemed to Selina that this Pamela knew the story they'd managed to come up with to hide her identity was bullshit. And she didn't like the feeling that was encroaching upon her. "Granted to say, most of Gotham seems transfixed by your love story to their hero. And this little princess the two of you have brought back. But I seem to remember everything a bit differently. Idiotic playboy suddenly turns into doting husband? Something isn't right about your love story, sweetie."

Selina could feel the retort bubbling within her but it died in her throat when Ariana's grip on her shirt tightened. "No matter what you seem to remember, I suppose the common courtesy of seeing who your audience is has leapt from your mind. I don't appreciate how you are choosing to speak in front of my daughter. I think you should go, _sweetie_."

With a slight roll of her eyes, Pamela finally left the two to be and as soon as she cleared the corner, Selina made a beeline for the car. Bruce had asked her to take security with her. Instead of just telling him no, she let them start to follow her until she lost them in traffic enough times that Bruce just gave up in trying to have anyone with the two of them.

She'd been fine in the city without them before, but it seemed that this 'foe' of Wayne Enterprises was taking a more direct approach. And something told her that there was more than met the eye to the botanist turned business woman than Pamela led on.

-BM-

"Alfred!" screamed Ariana as she began running through the foyer towards him. After Bruce's 'death', Alfred had used the money he'd been given to buy a house not far from Wayne Manor. It was modest but still able to comfortably fit them all and it was safe enough that Bruce could relax from time to time.

Bending down to her level, the usually stoic man broke out in a smile. He seemed to have taken a liking to their daughter, something that Bruce was intrigued by. He could remember a time before Alfred was his general physician, fixing Batman's wounds, when he treated Bruce as any father would treat his son. But he couldn't recall him having the same reaction to him that he was having with his daughter.

"And how are you, Miss Wayne?"

Selina let the two talk as she walked past them, trying to find if Bruce was home without having to directly ask Alfred. With Ariana being as inquisitive as she was, it was hard for them to speak outright without someone making sure she was out of the room and occupied.

"You're back already?"

He was standing in their room with just his gym shorts on, still panting slightly from finishing his workout and Selina couldn't help but smirk.

"Glad I came early."

He laughed a laugh so full-heartedly that she had almost forgotten how beautiful the sound was. It was rare for him to seem carefree. It was one of the reasons she wanted to bring him back home.

She'd never admit it to Bruce, but for all these years, there was something missing about him. For a while, she assumed it was Batman but even when Ariana was born and he had something to protect, he still had moments where he seemed completely lost.

And now, with him back in Gotham, he was more at peace than he had been whenever they were away.

"Well, that wasn't meant to be funny," she teased, moving to him and leaning up to place a kiss upon his lips. Pamela could wait another day. She wanted to enjoy her husband's company and not ruin his mood because of some idiotic encounter.

**Leave reviews! I hope you all know who the villain is :)**

**-Rae.**


	5. Chapter 5: Look How They Shine

The gentle lull of his heartbeat was soothing to her, her ear pressed against his chest. She'd awoken hours before him, but she didn't want to disturb her sleeping husband. It was rare moments like these that she cherished.

Bruce was usually up before she could even be bothered and had Ariana ready for the day. With Bruce worrying all the time, Selina was lucky if she got him to sleep for a few hours at most. Today, however, he was still out cold as the hours drew near to a more reasonable time. Soon, though, the little pitter-patter of feet would litter their hall if they didn't start getting dressed, so she lightly drew non-existent patterns upon his chest.

"Bruce, it's time to get up."

His little groan of disappointment brought a smile to her face, Selina leaning up and placing a soft kiss upon his lips. "Come on, you know Ariana will be up and running in here soon and I'd rather us not have to explain why neither of us are wearing clothing."

The night before was the first time that Bruce and Selina finally had gotten a chance to relax since returning to Gotham. Alfred had insisted that he spend time with the newest member of the Wayne family and left the two to their own devices. Rather than face the swarm of questioning that accompanied going out in public, Bruce tried to make Selina a dinner at home. It turned into a disaster but she appreciated the effort and time she got to spend with him.

"Can't we just stay here?"

A laugh escaped her before she knew why, Selina giving him an incredulous look. "Really? You want to stay in bed all day? This is far from the normal," she said sarcastically, teasingly. This hadn't always been the case. Alfred had told her that when he was Batman, Bruce's early mornings were three in the afternoon.

Throughout the years, he had conditioned his body to function on little to know sleep but most days, he brought Ariana back to their bed to lay around for most the day. It wasn't the most exciting times, but it was afternoons she got to spend with her family and as uncharacteristic as it was, she happened to love whatever she got to do with Bruce and Ariana.

"She has a new best friend. Alfred can get her."

Bruce was shifting so that Selina was trapped beneath him before she knew it, his ever present smirk decorated with his night old stubble. "Guess I'm a little rusty when it comes to sneak attacks," she said breathily as she couldn't keep the smile from taking over her features.

The two had always managed to have time set aside for one another, but with everything that had been happening, those moments became few and far between. Selina leaned forward to close the gap between them, knowing that they had a limited amount of time before Ariana would be running down to find her parents.

And that time was a lot shorter than she had thought.

"Mommy! Daddy!"

Both began to scramble to cover themselves correctly in time for the door to fling open and their daughter to bound towards them.

"What are you doing up already?" Bruce's voice changed to the soothing tone he used around Ariana. Her curl hair was mussed with sleep and she tiredly put her head on her father's chest seemingly oblivious to what was happening around her.

"Missed you."

She was most definitely a daddy's girl, something that Selina had had to get used to. When she was first born, she would cry and cry until her father hummed to her. It didn't matter what Selina tried, it had to be Bruce who calmed her down.

"Well how about you go and see if Alfred will make breakfast and we'll come in a bit?" Selina placed her hand on her daughter's cheek as she spoke, trying to coax the girl to listen to her mother.

Nodding, Ariana gave both her parents a kiss on the cheek before she bounded off towards the kitchen. Letting out a sigh, Selina rested her forehead on Bruce's shoulder as it began to shake with his laughter. "That was one stereotypical 'parent' moment I was hoping to avoid," he muttered, running a hand down his face.

"If only we could be that lucky."

-BW-

"Master Wayne, there's a visitor for you."

Alfred didn't seem alarmed when he came in, the 'visitor' obviously not someone he worried about. Yet still, Bruce looked to Selina with a furrowed brow as he stopped eating his breakfast. No one knew where Bruce was, only the three sitting there with him.

Once they'd gotten dressed, Bruce and Selina had joined Ariana for what he assumed would be a family breakfast. But with their new visitor, Bruce suddenly grew tense and his mind began to race to figure out who could possibly be at their home for him.

Putting his fork down, Bruce placed a kiss on the top of Ariana's head before moving towards the front door to find Jim Gordon anxiously looking at his feet.

There was never a time where Bruce thought that he would be happy to see the older officer, knowing that their relationship was unconventional. As Batman, he was one of the few willing to help. And as Bruce? He was one of the few to care when the prince of Gotham lost his parents.

"I thought you died being a hero."

"Batman did die the hero, but I'm not him anymore."

The two stood and stared at each other for a moment, Gordon in his typical trench coat and suit and Bruce in a t-shirt and jeans. Two opposites searching for the same thing, peace in Gotham.

Sometimes, Bruce wasn't even sure they would be able to successfully give Gotham the peace it deserved. Hell, he didn't think it deserved it half the time. It'd been one of the reasons he was so keen on living his life with Selina away from his home. It had taken everything from him and still was lost in itself.

"I'm guessing you heard of the new threat?"

"Pamela Isley?" he asked.

Bruce had been working with Lucius behind closed doors to try and learn all he could about this Pamela Isley woman. He wanted to know her motives and why, it seemed, everyone was so terrified of her.

"That and her alter-ego, Poison Ivy."

**Sorry this has taken so long! I moved into my apartment and then went on vacation so I've been running around and yeah! Leave me reviews please :)**

**-Rae.**


	6. Chapter 6: Burning Bridges In The Dark

"There have been men scattered throughout the city, all of them poisoned. We haven't figured out how or what kind of poison it is but I'm positive it's her. The drugs that were in the victims systems were all created from a combination of deadly planets, some that only botanists have the resources too."

Gordon was updating Bruce on what the police knew. He could tell that Gordon was alluding to the city needing him back as Batman, but he didn't think he could anymore. He came back because Gotham needed not only Batman but Bruce Wayne. If he trained Blake, then he wouldn't need to be the Dark Knight again.

"But you aren't sure?" Bruce asked, less than enthused about potentially donning his cape again.

He had a family, he had people to protect, but he had a feeling that Selina would be on board to take up her old habits if necessary.

"We have a good feeling but no, we aren't sure."

"Then why don't you come to me when you have something more concrete?" Bruce wasn't going to fling himself into everything once more because of a hunch.

With a slight nod, Gordon knew that their conversation had ended for the time being. "You have a lovely daughter," he said as a means of goodbye, giving him a smile and excusing himself.

The unexpected meeting with James Gordon left Bruce almost regretting his decision to return to Gotham. He wasn't ready to put his family at risk once more, even if Selina would for whatever reasoning she had. He still hadn't gotten her true feelings out of her. Her excuse had been her 'sister' but there seemed to be something more driving her, something that made her rush them back to his hometown.

"Where'd Gordon go?" Selina's voice echoed throughout the now abandoned room, drawing Bruce's attention towards her. "I didn't hear him leave."

Moving to Bruce, Selina sat down across from him. "When he admitted that he had nothing concrete to tell me, he left until he found something I could actually use." He knew that he was being slightly unreasonable, especially since they used to go on 'hunches' quite often when he was Batman. But he wasn't going to let anything happen to Ariana simply because they had a hunch.

Selina knew better than to fight his reasoning, occupying her hands by turning around her wedding bands. She didn't know what to say to him anymore, knowing that everything was skirting around her motives. He'd brought it up to her one night after they'd put Ariana to bed and it resulted in an uncomfortable night for Bruce on the couch.

"Where's Ariana?" His voice broke the suddenly silence that overtook the room and Selina nodded towards the kitchen.

"Finishing up breakfast with Alfred, and then she wants you to take her around today. I think she's had enough of Mommy because Daddy is still better than her."

Bruce's laughter shocked her, forcing her eyes to look into his as that eye crinkling smile took over his features.

"It sounds like you're a little jealous that she seems to like me better."

Taking the pillow from behind her, she threw it at him with a roll of her eyes. "She doesn't like you better, you just spoil her while I make sure she has a balanced head on her-"

But her slight rant was cut off as Bruce stood up and silencing her with his lips, a smirk present on his face. "Sometimes, you over think things."

"Coming from the king of 'over-thinking' things."

Once more, she was graced with the presence of his laugh, giving him a smile. "You should laugh more often."

"If we keep having days like this, I might."

-SB-

"Gotham's prince has return from the dead. Former billionaire Bruce Wayne has been seen on the streets on Gotham with the newly named Mrs. Wayne and what appears to be their daughter."

The news anchor seemed to drone on about Bruce's return. "Guess they don't have anything else of importance to talk about." Bruce was sitting on their couch with a look of distain upon his features, Selina sitting beside him pretending not to be paying attention.

"Everyone thought you were dead-"

"And clearly everything went to hell when I left, but I'm more important than what's apparently going on? All I've heard is how Gotham has become this horrible place yet all the news can talk about is me." Bruce was tired of being in the dark. He had only caught a glimpse of what Gotham had become.

"You saw what happened last night. If that's just a taste of it, then I'm not entirely sure I care to know what else is going on," Selina mumbled. Ariana was napping not far from them and she didn't want her waking up to them fighting.

Shaking his head, he tried to let his attention be consumed by the news before him once more. When the anchor continued on his story of what 'happened' to Bruce, he finally gave up and shut the television off all together.

"Come and get me when she wakes up, I have work to do and I'm just going to end up getting angry if I keep watching that."

-SB-

"She's the best," Ariana claimed as Bruce pretended to pay attention to Beauty and the Beast as it played out it's final scenes on the television before them. "Can I be Belle for Halloween?"

With a nod, he leaned back to try and relax some. With everything now piling up, he just wanted to spend the night with Ariana and Selina.

"You were Belle last year," Selina interjected, watching the pout form on their daughter's face.

"I want to be Belle though."

The look that took over Bruce's features left Selina knowing she'd lost the battle. One puppy-dog look and Ariana would always win.

"Fine, Belle it is."

The ringing of their doorbell set the two of them on edge once more. Bruce stood up, motioning for the two to stay where they were.

"Bruce, no one-"

"I know." Bruce and Selina shared a look, words not needed to express what was going through their minds. Leaving the two of them in the living room, he slowly made the journey to front door only to find that no one was there.

Instead sat a singular plant with a note attached that said "_We all have our secrets, Bruce._"

**SORRY! School started back up for me and this chapters are getting harder to write out quickly! **

**Please leave a review! **

**-Rae**


	7. Chapter 7: I Put My Future In You

The cool wind whipped around Bruce and Selina, Ariana and Helena's laughter ringing out as Selina and Bruce watched on. It was easy for him for the first time in a long while, _life_ was easy. He could relax, breathe without a constant strain pulling at him.

"Ariana, leave Helena be."

Selina's voice broke through his haze. "But she won't play with me," Ariana called back.

"She's only two. She isn't going to want to do the same things you are," Selina said, watching as Ariana began to pout further away from them.

"She shouldn't walk that far away," Bruce mumbled as he watched her walking away.

"Ariana is fine, you're just an over-protective father," Selina laced her arm through his as she spoke.

"I think I've earned the right to be a little worrisome about the two of them."

He watched as she teasingly rolled her eyes at him, the two of them leaning closer together. "Yes, you have. But sometimes, it'd be nice if my husband relaxed once in a whi-"

But a sudden shriek of "DADDY!" silenced her, Bruce's head snapping in the direction of their daughter. The menacing laugh that followed had the twisting feeling in Bruce's stomach returning.

"Oh how I've missed playing with that Bat."

-SB-

Shooting up from his slumber, his heart beating erratically in his ear, Bruce tried to calm his wayward thoughts. He didn't know what had prompted his thoughts of the Joker but whatever it was had him scared.

"Bruce?" Selina stirred beside him, turning to see him sitting up. "What's wrong?"

Bruce silently shook his head and Selina simply sat up with him running her hand up and down his back to try and calm him. "It was just a dream."

"But he had them. There was Ariana and we had another daughter..." He continued on, telling Selina of all that happened in his dream. He felt her wrap her arms around him yet his mind was still somewhere else.

They stayed in silence for a while, Selina trying to give him whatever space he needed. But, for once, he didn't want to be trapped within himself. Turning to face Selina, he wrapped his arms around her as she moved to lay back against the pillows.

"Fatherhood has weakened you, Mr. Wayne," she teased lightly, running her hand through his hair.

"I just want Ariana to be able to be a kid without having to worry. I don't want her to have the childhood I did. I don't want to be afraid to have another baby with you."

Selina didn't respond, instead she just continued to try and soothe him.

-SB-

Blake was standing across from Gordon on top of the police station. With the return of Bruce Wayne, Gotham's crime had taken a detour, leaving Blake time to obsess over this new threat that had surfaced.

"It was left on the Wayne's porch last night. I gave it to Fox and he is analyzing it now. I don't trust it to be a simple 'gift'."

"You're still hot headed. It's good for a young policeman but when you take on this symbol, you can't afford to jump the gun on a hunch." Gordon carefully watched Blake over his glasses. His long trench coat moved with the wind, the oncoming storm swimming around them. Gotham was almost eerily silent as Gordon let himself stray from the conversation to the city he had devoted his adult life to. He'd lost so much in his journey and still it seemed as if he'd never succeed.

"If we're right, though, and she goes after him, especially with their little-"

The commissioner cut off Blake before he could go on, simply walking towards the roof door. "We wait. If we're going about this with the legacy Bruce left behind, then we're going to uphold his ideals. We wait to know all we can."

-SB-

Bruce had been gone for hours, thrusting himself into the throws of his worries by punishing his body. He knew his limits, so Selina let him be. If Bruce needed to clear his mind after last night, then who was she to stop him?

"Mommy?" Ariana sleepily rubbed her eyes as she walked into Bruce and Selina's bedroom. Bruce had left not long after he woke from his nightmare and Selina hadn't gone back to sleep. "Hey, Ari," she murmured, reaching out so Ariana could climb into her arms.

"I had a bad dream," Ariana said, the sound muffled as she buried herself in Selina's side. "Why didn't you come to Mommy and Daddy's room?" Throughout the night, Selina hadn't heard a sound from Ariana's room, something that she needed to find a way to rectify, especially with everything going on.

"I wanted to be brave." A part of Selina broke as Ariana spoke, a sudden rush of memories flooding her thoughts. Growing up, she had tried to protect Maggie, Selina had tried to let her be a child and she'd failed. And now, it seemed that Ariana thought she had to be a 'big girl' sooner than Selina would like.

"You don't have to be brave, if you're afraid then you can come to us." Most mothers wanted their daughters to be able to hold their own and Selina supposed she was one of them but the idea that Ariana was alone and scared when Selina could have comforted her struck a nerve.

For the second time that morning, Selina silently comforted a member of her family. It was a new trend that she didn't particularly care for.

The door to their bedroom opened once more to reveal Bruce wiping off his face with a towel. "What's wrong?" he asked as he took in the sight of Ariana huddled into Selina.

"She had a nightmare." Selina watched as Bruce's face changed, clearly thinking back to his own dream. Silently, he motioned for Selina to move over, the two letting Ariana rest between them.

For a while, no one spoke. It was almost as if none of them needed words until Ariana finally spoke up. "Daddy, you need a shower."


	8. Chapter 8: You're Just a Small Bump

_Selina's hands fluttered over where her bump had once been. Tears flooded her vision, blurring all that was before her. It was a woman's duty to protect her unborn child, it was Selina's responsibility and she failed. "I'm sorry." The words came from her lips as a strangled whisper, cracking around the syllables._

For the second night in a row, nightmares claimed the dreams of every member of the Wayne family. Selina waking up in a cold sweat to find Bruce still asleep at her side. It had all just been in her head but still, it had felt so real. With a shaky sigh, Selina climbed out of bed and padded her waydown the stairs to the back patio. The fresh air usually calmed Selina and helped to clear her thoughts, especially when something shook her so intensely.

"You had a nightmare too?" Bruce's voice sent a shiver down Selina's spine as she turned to see him standing in just his pajama pants. "It's cold out here, you should go back inside," she mumbled as she turned back to look at the outline of trees in the yard.

Bruce sighed as he moved forward to wrap his arms around her. "I'm not going to talk about it," Selina stubbornly said, placing her hands over his as she relaxed into his embrace. The laugh that surrounded her caused Selina to roll her eyes. "Wouldn't expect you to," Bruce said, his lips finding the crook of Selina's neck. "I had another nightmare. I'm starting to think these aren't coincidences."

Selina hadn't really thought about their nightmares, simply thinking of them as nuisances that come along with sleeping. But the strange occurrence of them with all the members of her family was suddenly not lost on her. "You think it has to do with something? Maybe that plant?" She could feel him shrug as Bruce focused on Selina. She let her eyes close, leaning into Bruce's touch. Suddenly all thoughts of her metaphorical failure were gone, Selina melting into his wandering hands.

"I just don't think all of us suddenly having nightmares is random," Bruce mumbled into her hair. Their nightmares weren't uncommon but they usually weren't so regular and together. But Selina did know how Bruce acted after certain dreams. "So, I was gone in this one?"

Bruce sighed as he nodded in response to her. Whenever he had a particularly bad dream about her, Selina would wake up to him holding on to her as tightly as he could. If it was Ariana he lost, then she would have to paddle her way to their daughter's room to find Bruce watching over her. "You want me to talk about it but you won't?"

Selina couldn't help but laugh, turning in Bruce's embrace to look up at him. "After all these years, I thought you'd know me better." Bruce didn't share the same humor that Selina apparently did, sighing as she watched him make his decision to just drop the conversation. "You're just easier to read, Bruce. And you know I don't like to talk about-"

"I know, I know." Bruce placed his forehead against Selina's, closing his eyes. "I'm beginning to hate going to sleep."

"That bad, huh?" Selina asked, her hand resting on his cheek as her thumb traced over his cheekbones. She knew that, over time, their fears had shifted. After Bane's reign, both had been awoken nights on end, remembering what they'd both done in order to survive. But as time went on, Selina knew that her own fears of death shifted from herself to Bruce and finally, to Ariana.

"I'm so tired but I'm afraid of what my mind will come up with," he whispered, shifting as he let his lips wonder to where her neck and shoulder met. "Good thing neither of us want to sleep then. We can keep each other company." Selina let her fingers run through his hair, using his warmth to keep the chill of the night away. Pulling Bruce's lips to hers, Selina let herself get lost in his kiss. Her hands traveled to rest on the waistband of his pants.

The journey back to their bedroom was a mix of longing touches and stumbles until they both were naked and tangled in each other. "Faster," Selina moaned, her nails scratching lightly down Bruce's back. Obeying her plea, Bruce hiked Selina's leg up higher on his hip. Through their years together, they never seemed to tire of each other, even when they only had stolen moments to spend in each other's arms.

It didn't take long for Selina to be crying out Bruce's name and, with a few more thrusts, he was following her into oblivion. Bruce rolled off of Selina before shifting to rest his head upon her stomach. It was something he'd started after they found out she was pregnant with Ariana and he'd never stopped. "If only you knew how much I love you," he mumbled, Selina's laugh filling his ears. "I'm sure you love me a hell of a lot, especially after sex."

"It's only a little bit more after sex," Bruce mumbled, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as his hands drew non-existent patterns upon her stomach. "I think we should go talk with Fox tomorrow. Alfred can watch Ariana. I just want to get this all figured out." The mood of the room shifted, sobering as Selina's fingers ran through Bruce's hair.

-SB-

Wayne Enterprises was as still as Bruce remembered, reconstructed after Bane's reign to mirror the structure that it held prior to the chaos. "You actually used to come to work here?"

"More like slept through board meetings, but yeah," Bruce replied, looking around the expansive room uncomfortably as he anticipated Lucius Fox's arrival. "Be nice to get some sleep now."

The two fell into a silence as Selina moved to sit down. "I think when we're done here, you and I should go meet with a real-estate agent," Bruce said with a shrug, acting as if his statement held not even the slightest weight. "You want to buy another house? What about the penthouse?" Selina was slightly shocked by his sudden request. She had thought that Gotham was the last place he wanted to be.

"Well, people know I'm here and it doesn't seem like I can train Blake and get everything settled in a short amount of time. We might as well get comfortable and the penthouse isn't really somewhere for Ariana." Selina could tell that he'd been thinking about it for a while and that fact seemed to just fuel her anger. "And you've just decided this all on your own? I mean, you might as well go ahead and just pick out a house while you're at it. Especially since you have your mind made up without even wondering how your wife feels about it all."

Bruce began to protest when Fox entered the room, looking between the two as Selina crossed her arms at her chest. "You know what? The man of the house needs to talk with you, Fox. About something that is clearly too important for me and since his decisions are obviously the only ones that matter, I'm going to wait outside." And without another word, Selina left a smiling Fox and an exasperated Bruce alone.

"You've got your hands full with that one."

"You have no idea."

-SB-

Bruce followed Fox into the lab and listened as Lucius explained his findings. "There were multiple trace elements on the flowers, many of which were hallucinogens. This plant isn't the same as the previously found ones, but it has similar qualities. Still, we made up an antidote that should stop the dreams."

With a nod, Bruce let Fox finish up his explanation of everything before taking the antidote and heading to find Selina.

"Did you make any other decisions for our family while you were up there or did you decide to include me some on your next choice?"

Selina was sitting by the entrance to Wayne Tower, her arms crossed at her chest. "I figured you were angry enough that I should just keep going with the bad decisions while I was on a roll." Selina rolled her eyes, remaining sitting away from him. "I didn't make a decision just to spite you, Selina. I was just thinking-"

"That's your problem. You thought." Bruce's laughter stopped her, Selina standing up to try and defend herself before his arms wrapped around her waist. "So I'm guessing that if I bought a house to surprise you already that you wouldn't be very pleased with me?"

"I wouldn't necessarily say that I would be unhappy but you'd have to spend a lot of money for me to be okay with it all."


End file.
